Ten Principles of Intercession. The foundational principle behind social transformation is the lifestyle of prayer that moves the hand that moves the world. A video and notes behind this presentation may be found at https://vimeo.com/vivgrigg/intercession

1. Journey into a Lifestyle of
Intercession
Viv Grigg, 1981, updated 2017

2. 1.The Framework of Prayer: ACTS
• The overarching framework for evangelical prayer can be
summed up in this acronym
• Adoration
• Confession
• Thanksgiving
• Supplication (ASking)
• In this teaching we will focus on the last element of intercession for self and others.

3. The Lord’s Prayer as Model
This is based on the Lord’s Prayer – our model.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
(Luke 6)

4. 2. Jesus begs us to ask
• John 14: 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be
glorified in the Son. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
• John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you.
• John 15: 16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you
might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my
name the Father will give you.
• Matt 7:7-9 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the
door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who
seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of
you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish,
will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give
good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give
good gifts to those who ask him!

5. Conditional Asking
Pause and add conditions
to answered prayer from
these passages
Passage 1st Condition 2nd Condition
John 15:7
John 15:16
John 16:24
Matt 9:37,38
The Lord’s
Prayer
Jer 33:3

6. Conditional Asking
Pause and add conditions
to answered prayer from
these passages
Passage 1st Condition 2nd Condition
John 15:7 Ask
John 15:16
John 16:24
Matt 9:37,38
The Lord’s
Prayer
Jer 33:3

7. Conditional Asking
Pause and add conditions
to answered prayer from
these passages
Passage 1st Condition 2nd Condition
John 15:7 Ask
John 15:16 Ask
John 16:24 Ask
Matt 9:37,38 Ask for
laborers
The Lord’s
Prayer
Ask for needs
Jer 33:3 Ask

8. Conditional Asking
Pause and add conditions
to answered prayer from
these passages
Passage 1st Condition 2nd Condition
John 15:7 Abide
John 15:16 Bear much
fruit
John 16:24 Ask Ask
Matt 9:37,38 Compassion
The Lord’s
Prayer
Forgive
Jer 33:3 Faith

9. Jeremiah 33:3
3 ‘Call to me and I will answer you
and tell you great and unsearchable
things you do not know.’
Psalm 2:8
Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
These reflect an OldTestament theme:
God who answers his people’s prayers

10. Jesus added another
condition with two parables
The importunate widow
Luke 11:5-9 : the annoying
neighbor
3. Perseverance
Have you ever considered
intercessory prayer as struggle?
Years of discipline are needed

11. 4. Seven Levels of Authority in Intercession
• Level 1:The authority of character
• Level 2: Authority through fasting.
• Level 3: Mark 3:15The authority of anointing.
• Level 4: Ezekiel 22:30 The authority of standing in the gap.
• Level 5: Eph 6: 11, 13 The authority of standing firm.
• Level 6: Luke 7:1-17The authority of a commander.
• Level 7: Spiritual Authority as We Age
• The authority of a life long lived in his presence
(This topic to be covered more in the Spiritual Warfare section)

12. Example:The Prayer of Jabez
• “Oh that you would enlarge my borders.”
• This is a prayer of faith.
• BruceWilkinson’s book has encouraged many
to levels of authority through faith.

13. A Deviation: Name it and Claim it,Wacky
Authority
In contrast, based on the above truths, someTV evangelists have
developed a “technique” of prayer:
• If you name what you want
• Then claim it
• God will do it.
• This affirms faith, it affirms clarity, it affirms that God answers
prayer.
• But the “technique” violates the other principles of relationship
• It becomes a demand on God, our asserting our authority over him
• We cannot reduce him to a pawn in our belief system

14. 5. Pray in the Spirit
A deeper level of continuous prayer
• There are a number of phrases in the scriptures and across church
history about an ongoing continuous being in fellowship with the Lord.
• Abiding in Christ (John 15:1-7)
• Walking in the Spirit
• Paul, commands us to: Pray in the Spirit, at all times, with all kinds of
prayers and requests. With this in mind , be alert and always keep praying
for all the saints (Eph 6:18).
• The Practice of the Presence of God was a little booklet by a humble
monk that has blessed many millions.
• ArthurWallis published Pray in the Spirit in 1970 that impacted many in
the charismatic movement
• This is a discipline, a practice that few attempt. It builds on the
discipline of scripture memory, for prayer develops as we pray through
the word of God, meditating on it. It requires a quieted soul, what some
in history have called “centering down”.

15. 6. Aspects of Listening to God
Hearing theVoice of God
Listening to God is part of
this walking in the Spirit. As
we listen then we know how
to intercede.
1. We are to hear and obey.
2. It is part of most Christian
traditions
3. Processes
• Tuning in to God
• Waiting in Silence
• Contemplating on the
Word
4. God Speaks
• in his Goodness
• in Creation
• in Creativity
• as we act
• InVisions and Dreams
• ThroughVoices and Angels
• Through Prophecy and
Words ofWisdom and
Knowledge
5. Discernment increases
• Individual
• Collective CelticTradition
Charismatic
Tradition

16. 7. Some Practices of Intercession
Structured patterns of prayer is essential for intercession.
Traditions differ, each with its own patterns and emphases
• The daily devotional time
• The weekly prayer meeting.
• Fasting
• Weekly Bible Study
• Prayer walking
• Concerts of Prayer
• Prayer Summits

17. 7. Habits of Intercession
The daily devotional time
Structured patterns of prayer is essential for intercession. Traditions differ,
each with its own patterns and emphases.
• The daily devotional time
• For Anglicans this is standardized by the Book of Common Prayer, morning and
evening prayer. For lower churches, the QuietTime of an hour each morning with God
is normal
• For Europeans this is personal. In group cultures this is often each night at the church.
Questions to begin with:
• Do you have a quiet place?
• Do you have a time, morning and evening?
• Do you have a system of meditation
• Do you have a system of recording. One long term prayer per day. One short term.

18. 7. Habits of Intercession
Church prayer
The weekly prayer meeting is normative in many churches.
• Often midweek.
• For some for an hour before church on Sunday.
• In many poor churches there are several prayer meetings weekly.

19. 7. Habits of Intercession
Fasting
There are various patterns of fasting:
• weekly on Friday, for most Pentecostal pastors in the slums,
• longer periods of three days
• occasionally, longer fasts up to 40 days.
• This is individual, but often there is a group commitment.
• There are full fasts, and partial fasts.
This is a significant topic throughout the scriptures

20. 7. Habits of Intercession
Weekly Bible Study
Structured patterns of meditation on the word is essential for hearing the
voice of God, the undergirding of intercession. Traditions differ, each with its
own patterns and emphases
• The educated
• A weekly chapter study or book study or topical study of 2-3 hours preparation that
leads to 2 hours of group discussion is normative
• For most who are oral learners or not trained as academics, it is an oral tradition with
the midweek or early Sunday teaching by a teacher in the church, with little
preparation by the people.

21. 7. Habits of Intercession
PrayerWalking
Praying on site with insight
There is a long history of prophets and intercessors
entering territory that has been unpenetrated with the
gospel, of walking and praying across the land so as to
prepare the ground for others to come and preach.
• Steve Hawthrone and Graham Kendrick popularized
this in their 1990’s book Awakening our Cities for God:
A Guide to PrayerWalking. Many have since developed
these themes

22. 7. Habits of Intercession
Prayer Summits
• Joe Aldridge thenTomWhite from Multnomah Bible
College was much used in multiplying Prayer Summits
• These are week long retreats for groups of city
pastors, seeking God together, confessing sin, and
entering into his presence.

23. 7. Habits of Intercession
Concerts of Prayer
There is a long history of national and citywide prayer
gatherings
• During the charismatic movement of the 1970’s-1990’s
these multiplied globally, with the AD2000 Prayer
Network being a linkage for them.
• In the 1990’s a movement of citywide Concerts of
Prayer built on this tradition, with structure and
strategy.

24. R
e
f
e
r
e
n
c
e
s
• Aldrich, J. (1992). Prayer Summits. Portland, OR: Multnomah Press.
• Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. (1977). The Practice of the Presence of God. Garden
City: Image.
• Bounds, E.M. (1999). The E.M. Bounds Collection on Prayer:The Essentials of Prayer,The
Necessity of Prayer, PowerThrough Prayer, Prayer and Praying Men, Purpose in ... Reality of
Prayer, andTheWeapon of Prayer: CreateSpace.
• Bryant, D. (1985). With Concerts of Prayer: Christians Join for Spiritual Awakening andWorld
Evangelization: Bakere Publishing House.
• Chadwick, S. (1931). The Path of Prayer. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
• Duewel, Wesley. (1986). Touch theWorldThrough Prayer. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
• Hawthorne, S., & Kendrick, G. (1996). PrayerWalking: Praying On Site with Insight:
Charisma.
• Huggett, J. (1987). The Joy of Listening to God: Hearing the ManyWays God Speaks to Us:
IVP.
• Miller, B. (2008). Praying Hyde: Missionary to India: Ambassador International.
• Newell, Phillip. (1997). Listening for the Heartbeat of God: A Celtic Spirituality: Paulist Press.
• Wallis, A. (2005). Pray in the Spirit:TheWork of the Holy Spirit in the Ministry of Prayer. Fort
Washington, FL: CLC Ministries.
• Wilkinson, B. (2000). The Prayer of Jabez: Multnomah Publishers.